1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a round type connector and a connection device for a flexible printed circuit board. The present invention is applicable to, for example, a small-sized electronic equipment such as a cylindrically-shaped small-sized camera head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional camera head, for example, a rigid circuit board, having mounted thereon a variety of circuit components, is multi-layered and enclosed in a casing. A flexible printed circuit board or a cable having both ends connected to connectors has been used for connection between an image sensor and the circuit board, or between the circuit board and an output connector.
The conventional camera head employing the above-described connection structure suffers from a problem that complicated operational steps are required in fabrication, thus raising the cost and lowering the reliability of the product while raising difficulties in reducing the size of the camera head.
In view of the above problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a flexible printed circuit board device, having a satisfactory space factor, which can be directly connected to an image sensor or to an output connector and which assures a mounting area for single-surface mounting comparable to that for a double-surface mounting.
For reducing the size of the camera head having such structure, it is necessary to reduce the size of the output connector.
In a connector, limitations are imposed on the interval between solderable connection pins, so that a problem is raised in the arrangement of the connection pins when reducing the connector size.
Thus the present invention provides a multi-pin round type connector which is small-sized and which permits a facilitated soldering operation for a connection pin.
The present invention also provides a connection device comprised of a flexible printed circuit board in which connection pins of a small-sized round type connector can be easily soldered to the circuit board.
In addition, an image sensor needs to be mounted so that its imaging surface will be perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system with the center of the imaging surface coincident with the optical axis of the optical axis.
In the conventional camera head, an optical disc holding mechanism of a complex structure for holding the image sensor in position to a high accuracy is required, thus impeding reduction in size of the device and lowering the operational reliability.
Thus the present invention provides a holding device for an image sensor of a simplified structure whereby the image sensor can be mounted and held in position with a high accuracy.